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It is this author’s opinion that things are
not always “black and white,” and we owe it to ourselves
and each other to look at the many shades of gray. Shades of gray
are crucial, in terms of getting through life with less stress.
There are very few absolute truths in this world. In medical school,
students learn about symptoms and diagnoses, and sure enough, we
all start to acquire these illnesses. Part of the reason for this
is that we are all in possession of certain personality disorder
characteristics. This DOES NOT mean that when reading this section,
if you should find you possess one or two characteristics of a particular
personality disorder, that you are diagnosable. However, according
to the DSM-IV, when enduring patterns of symptomatology begin to
affect one’s environment, one’s family life, one’s
social and personal context of their lives, and it becomes dysfunctional,
causing stress and anxiety, then one should truly consider a personality
disorder.
According to the DSM-IV, listed below are general criteria of personality
disorders:
Behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the individuals
culture. This pattern is manifested by at least two of the following
areas:
- Cognition, which is a way of perceiving and interpreting the
self and other people around them.
- Affectivity, which is the range and intensity of the emotional
response.
- Interpersonal functioning.
- Impulse control.
- This enduring pattern is inflexible and pervasive across many
social situations.
- It leads to clinical distress in social, occupational or family.
- The pattern can be tracked back to adolescence or early adulthood.
- It is not a manifestation of a major disorder, i.e. major is
defined by an Axis I disorder, which would be a major psychosis.
- The symptomatology is not due to a physiological cause, i.e.
substance abuse or medication.
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